Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Counting our blessings helps us not only be grateful for what we have, but it also reminds us that we are so much better off than millions of others, whether that is in terms of our health, family, financial situation, or other aspects of our life. And being grateful for all we have helps us maintain a positive attitude in the face of worries and challenges we are facing almost daily.

Accordingly, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him*) also advised Muslims to be honest and truthful. Some examples of hadith which address lying include:

• "Four traits, whoever possesses them is a hypocrite and whoever possesses some of them has an element of hypocrisy until he leaves it: the one who when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise, when he disputes he transgresses and when he makes an agreement he violates it." (Muslim and Bukhari)

• “Maintain truthfulness, for truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Heaven. A man continues to maintain truthfulness until he is recorded in Allah’s book as truthful. Refrain from lying, because lying leads to blatant evil, and evil leads to the fire. A man continues to lie until he is recorded in Allah’s book as a liar,” (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmithi).

Consequences and Punishment for Telling Lies in Islam

The second hadith clearly states that lying can lead to the hell fire, but there may be other punishments as well. In another hadith, for example, the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrated that he he saw a liar being punished in the Hereafter by having his mouth, nose and eyes torn with an iron hook. (Bukhari 5745)

Such severe consequences for telling lies is reinforced by stern warnings in the Qur'an: "Truly Allah guides not one who transgresses and lies." (40:28); and “And on the Day of Resurrection you will see those who lied against Allah (i.e. attributed to Him sons, partners) their faces will be black." (39:60)

Types of Lies According to Islam

Despite such warnings, many people do tell lies. Lying may be out of habit, out of conceit or pride, to protect one's interests, to avoid uncomfortable situations, to exaggerate or make jokes, to avoid being hurtful, or to outright deceive and commit wrong. Even "white lies," such as empty promises to bribe a child or lies used in jest, are considered sinful in Islam.

The most serious lies in Islam, however, are those which concern Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islam in general. In the Qur'an, Allah says, "Who does more wrong than such as forge a lie against Allah, or deny His Signs?"(10:17)When It's Okay to Lie in Islam

Under a few circumstances, lying may be considered acceptable, according to Islamic beliefs. This ruling is supported by a hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "Lies are not appropriate except in three cases: when a man speaks to his wife to please her, telling lies at times of war, and lying in order to bring about reconciliation between people.” (Reported Hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani).

Another hadith indicates there are times when being vague or ambiguous may be more beneficial than being totally truthful: “He is not a liar who reconciles between people and narrates something good or says something good.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Despite those exceptions, Muslims should do their best to avoid telling lies. They need to remember that in most circumstances, Islam condemns lies and that on the Day of Judgment people may be held accountable for them: "Today We seal up their mouths, and their hands speak to us and their feet bear witness to what they have earned." (Qur'an 36:65)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

LAZINESS is the lack of desire to act or work in general. Procrastination refers to postponing work and delaying it for future. Basically, procrastination is a result of one’s laziness.

Our greatest enemy, Satan, whispers a love for laziness and procrastination into us.

Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“During your sleep, Satan ties three knots at the back of your decks. He breathes the following into them, ‘The night is long so keep on sleeping.’

If the person wakes up and praises Allah, then one of the knots is unfastened. And if he performs ablution, the second knot is unfastened.

When he prays, all of the knots are unfastened. After that he will be energetic and happy in the morning. Otherwise he would get up listless and grouchy.” (Al-Bukhari)Ibn Al-Jauzi, writing on this topic, said,

“How many Jews or Christians have considered in their hearts love for Islam. But Iblees always hinders them. He says to them, ‘Do not be hasty. Look closely into the matter.’

And they postpone their conversion to Islam until they die as disbelievers. In the same way, sinners postpone their repentance.

They set their sight on their desires and hope to repent later. But, as a poet said,

“Do not rush to perform sins you would like to. Think about repentance beforehand.”

How many of us are determined to do something, yet we keep postponing it. A scholar may be determined to return to his study but Satan whispers to

“rest for a while.” Or a servant is reminded of the night prayer and Satan says to him, “You have plenty of time.”

He will not stop seducing people to love laziness and postponing of actions. Satan makes people rely solely on hopes and dreams.

This is how people are in the world. Some are prepared and alert and are not sorrowful when the angel of death comes. Others are deceived into procrastination and they despair when the time of death comes.” (Ibn Al-Jauzi, Talbees Iblees, p. 458)

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, said:

“The perfect remedy for procrastination is to nurture sound faith in the manner of the Salaf As-Salih (pious predecessors).

Before Islam, they had no sense of human achievement, but after being exposed to the powerful message of the Qur’an, their lives transformed completely. They became peak performers and high achievers. Whatever they touched was changed anew through their dynamic faith.The remedy for fighting procrastination, therefore, is to nurture such dynamic faith.

Some of the tips that we can readily apply is rising early in the morning and developing a positive mind by counting the blessings of Allah and praying to Allah to bless the day with success.

We must start our work right after Fajr prayers as the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed,

“O Allah, bless my Ummah in their early morning endeavors.”

Last but not least,

we should turn to Allah in supplication and seek His help in fighting this disease.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Abû Hurayrah relates that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak a good word or remain silent. And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his neighbor. And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his guest.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim ]

The importance of this hadith:

This hadith discusses some of the ways a Muslim's faith should affect the way he relates to others. Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî writes: “This hadith speaks about three matters, and in doing so it brings together everything that good manners entail with respect to both word and deed.”

Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day…

This is a conditional sentence. It is repeated three times in this hadith, each time with a different condition. The first of these three conditions is to either speak a good word or remain silent, the second is to show hospitality to one's neighbors, and the third is to show hospitality to one's guests. This hadith is showing us that these three qualities are among the many qualities of faith. A person who fails to fulfill any of these conditions is a person whose faith is incomplete and in want of improvement.

Speaking a good word or remaining silent:

This is an encouragement to speak what is good and beneficial; at the same time it is a warning, cautioning us to be careful in what we say, lest we say something that is harmful or false.

It is part of a Muslim's faith to speak the truth and to say things that bring about benefit to others. Allah says: “O you who believe! Fear Allah and speak a word that is right. He will set right for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great achievement.” [ Sûrah al-Ahzâb : 70-71]

Allah informs us in the Qur'ân some of what constitutes good in our speech and benefits other people. He says: “No good is there in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity or that which is right, or bring reconciliation between people. And whoever does that seeking Allah's pleasure, then we shall grant him a great reward.” [ Sûrah al-Nisâ' : 114]

When we have nothing beneficial to say, silence is golden. Once, Mu`âdh b. Jabal asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to inform him of some good work that would admit him into Paradise and distance him from the Hellfire. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned to him the virtues of many good deeds, then said: “Shall I inform you of the foundation of all of that?”

Mu`âdh said: “Certainly.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) took hold of his tongue and said: “Restrain yourself from this.”

Mu`âdh then asked: “O Prophet of Allah! Are we held to task for the things that we say?”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “May your mother be bereaved of you, O Mu`âdh! Does anything topple people headlong into the Hellfire save the harvests of their tongues?” [ Sunan al-Tirmidhî and Sunan Ibn Mâjah ]

We should avoid speaking ill of others. We should rather remain silent unless we are seeking justice for some wrong that has been perpetrated against us. Allah says: “Allah does not like that evil should be mentioned in public except by one who has been done injustice. And Allah is all-hearing, all-knowing.” [ Sûrah al-Nisâ' : 148]

Our tongues are like double-edges swords. They can work for us and against us, both in this world and the Hereafter. We will be held accountable for what we say. Allah tells us: “He does not utter a statement except that there is an observer by him ready to record it.” [ Sûrah Qâf : 18]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Indeed a servant will speak a word pleasing to Allah that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it Allah raises him by many degrees. And indeed a servant will speak a word displeasing to Allah that he thinks to be insignificant, but because of it, He will consign him to the Hellfire.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî ]

We must be vigilant not to speak falsehood. We must think about what we are saying and the possible consequences of our words before we go ahead and speak. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A man might speak a word without thinking about its implications, but because of it, he will plunge into the Hellfire further than the distance between the east and west.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim ]

Al-Nawawî comments on the meaning of this hadith, saying: “This hadith encourages us to guard our tongues. A person who wants to speak should think upon what he is about to say before he utters it. If it then shows itself to have some benefit to it, he may speak it; otherwise he should refrain from doing so.”

Showing hospitality to the neighbor and the guest:

From the perfection of a person's faith is his showing kindness to those with whom he has dealings, especially his neighbors and his guests.

Allah says: “Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and show kindness to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the near neighbor, the distant neighbor, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are conceited and boastful.” [ Sûrah al-Nisâ' : 36]

Islam emphasizes the right of the neighbor. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Gabriel continued to impress upon me the rights of the neighbor until I thought that he would soon confer upon him the right of inheritance.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

There are many forms that this hospitality can take. It can take the form of help in times of need. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “He is not a believer who lets himself be satiated while his neighbor goes hungry.” [ Mustadrak al-Hâkim ]

It can mean making allowances for the neighbor's needs, even by waiving some of one's own rights. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “None of you should prevent his neighbor from placing his rafter in his wall.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim ]

It can take the form of gift giving. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “O Muslim women! None of you should consider insignificant a gift that you give to your neighbor, even if it is but the trotters of a sheep.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim ]

Islam teaches us to be generous and hospitable to those who come to us as guests. Indeed, those who come to our homes have a right over us. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should show hospitality to his guest according to his right.”

He was asked: “What is his right, O Messenger of Allah?”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered: “It is (to offer the best) for a day and a night, and hospitality extends for three days. What is beyond that is charity.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim ]

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Islam has already set up a common goal, not only for Muslims but for the entire mankind- salvation. Salvation is achieving eternal success by making Allah happy and winning a place in Paradise. The most positive outlook about Islamic goals can be understood from the words of the prophet: "When any of you pray to Allah for paradise, he should ask for Jannatul Firdaus." Jannatul Firdaus is the highest level of Paradise.

The methodology of achieving your goals is very simple in Islam.

• Believe in Allah. • Put your trust in him. • Seek help from Him alone. • Fear Him alone. • Do not despair His mercy. • Repent for your sins

This belief is further strengthened by offering Salah regularly and punctually, giving charity, being nice to people, performing Hajj, observing Saum and along with them, Dawah to Islam. The Qur'an calls this method "Siratal Mustaqeem" The Straight way.

Islam has set the highest goal for humans, whereas materialistic achievements and obstacles are declared as a test from Allah Almighty. This test separates a believer from a non believer, a strong believer from a weak believer, a firm believer from a hypocrite.

Salvation is a long-term goal. But, in order to achieve it, there are other short-term goals, which push you ahead. Here are a few suggestions from the Prophet (pbuh):

"The heaviest deeds of a man in the weigh o the day of Judgment will be his excellent manners."

"Ward off the Fire of hell with a charity even if it is a trifle date fruit."

"Fasting is a shield from hell fire."

We can also fond other ways to achieve our goals from the Qur'an.

"When you promise, fulfill it."

"Race you with each other in Bir and Taqwa."

"Establish your prayer and give your charity."

"Repel evil with that which is good."

Considering the human nature, Allah not only sets the goal, but also presents the virtue of achieving the goals, thus motivating and inspiring his believers to achieve it. The description of Paradise, its beauty, its uniqueness, facilities, every minute things are highlighted as a big achievement. This description is spread throughout the Qur'an and its details are in Hadith, reminding the believers of the fruits of their goals.

What are your goals and resolutions? Do you want to start an orphanage? Or would you like to run a school or a library that's runs on Islamic principles? It could be that you want your child to be a PhD. in Hadith. There are many things you want to do but you cannot do it or you are unable to do it, but there are many things that you can do it and should be doing it but are not doing it.

Take for example, you cannot start an orphanage but you can certainly afford to sponsor an orphan can't you? You may not be able to run a school or a library but you can afford to sponsor books and fees or pay up the electric bill of a middle income school or library and arrange for a sawab e jaariyaa for you. So don't wait till you become rich but grab what ever opportunity Allah has provided you and make arrangements for you akhera.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Philosophers have often held certain essential qualities to be ideals for what exists in the world. A mirror is something that presents qualities. It does not bring about any distortion to the essence of the person whose image it reflects.

This is why Muslim scholars encourage people to adopt the mirror’s qualities into their behavior.

Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) says, “A Muslim is the mirror for his fellow Muslim.”

In this article, I would like to highlight some of the mirror's qualities and then explore the implications of the Prophet's statement. The Mirror…at a Glance:A mirror presents you with your real form, without any embellishment or omission.

It does not hesitate at all in doing its job. It provides its services promptly, and immediately presents you with your reflection.

It does not take any wages for the services that it renders. It remains sincere to you by showing you how you truly appear.

A mirror shows you your actual appearance at the precise time when you stand in front of it. It erases your image as soon as you move away. This means that after your departure, it will not show your image to anyone else. Equally important, it will never reveal anyone else's image to you or expose their faults to your gaze.

Since it always shows you your current form when you stand in front of it, it never makes any comments about your previous appearance or former defects.

It judges only what you disclose to it and never delves into matters that are hidden.

It does not insult you; rather, it mobilizes you to act for your own betterment.

You can study what you see in a mirror with confidence. You can put trust your in a mirror.

If you use it once to beautify yourself, you can always come to it again and see your face in it.

In this way, we can see that a mirror holds only qualities. No deception is found in its nature. What the Prophet said – about a Muslim being like a mirror to his fellow Muslim – is logical because the teachings that he brought from Allah realize for humanity an ideal to be reflected in society. The teachings and cultural values put forth by Islam are flawless and incorruptible. This is how the light of Islam dispels darkness. It enlightens us with the light of humanity where we find peace, kindness, tranquility and non-violence.

Unfortunately, today most Muslims are facing serious problems. They suffer under dire circumstances. Yet, have you ever paused to consider why this is the case? It should be easy for us to realize that we are not cultivating the right qualities and habits. We are neither exemplary in our own conduct, nor do we present a proper example to others.

Today we feel no solidarity towards one another. Sometimes, Muslims hate Muslims and even feel happy to see their brothers and sisters plunging headlong into darkness.

How can we take pride in our identity and move forward to find the solutions for our day-to-day problems? Why are we falling short in guiding others to Islam? When we look at ourselves, do we find that our characters reflect the qualities of Islam? Or does Islam teach its followers to cultivate bad habits like cheating and telling lies? Can such a deviation from Islam on the part of its followers motivate others to embrace the faith?

In my opinion, the answers to all of these questions can only be found in the qualities that our religion, Islam, teaches us to inculcate in ourselves for the benefit of humanity. Therefore, like a mirror, if we as Muslims start off by exhibiting the qualities that Islam calls us towards, then, Allah willing, the day will not be far off when we, on our own, will be able to solve our problems.

The undeniable fact is that Islam becomes the strongest force in the world when its followers exhibit the noble and virtuous qualities that it calls us towards. Terrorists will hang their heads in shame before the qualities found in the fertile garden of authentic Islam. Today, the downtrodden Muslims should take a lesson from their ancestors in how they found success in the world through their good and virtuous qualities. This is the perspective that we need. A mirror is nothing but an ideal reflector of qualities, for in all situations, we find it competent in influencing others with what it reflects.

In brief, we Muslims should be as steadfast as a mirror and influence others by always reflecting in our conduct the best qualities and virtues for the promotion of peace on Earth.

Doing service for humanity is one of the greatest ways we can show our devotion to Allah. All of the revealed scriptures place great emphasis on helping others. In Islam, helping others and solving their problems is not only an important virtue, it is also a profound act of worship. It is a means of righteousness that promotes peace on Earth and allows us to earn Allah's eternal reward in the Hereafter.

Allah likes it so much when we help others that He forgives us our sins for something as simple as moving some thorns out of the path where people walk.

Abû Hurayrah quotes the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: “A man was going on his way when he saw brambles in the path. He moved these out of the way. Allah so esteemed his virtuous act that He granted him forgiveness." [Sahih Muslim]

In another narration of the same hadîth, Abû Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said he saw a man strolling in Paradise. The deed that he had performed was to cut down and removed a tree from the path that was causing trouble to passers by.

In his commentary on this hadîth, al-Nawawi says that there is reward for any virtuous deed that provides help to others.

Scholars explain that the main lesson to draw from this hadîth is the inherent virtue of easing the distress of others in any way: “The prayers and other ritual acts of worship that we perform are fruitless unless we engage in the service of humanity.”

Allah grants His forgiveness to those who sacrifice of themselves to help the victims of misfortune. Allah does not only grant forgiveness for those who engage in such virtuous deeds, but in His infinite mercy, he makes their account easy on the Day of Judgment.

Abû Hurayrah relates that Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever removes one of the hardships of a believing soul, Allah will remove from him one of the distresses on the Hereafter. Whoever solves someone else's problem, Allah will make things easy for him in this world and the Hereafter… Allah is ever assisting His servant as long as that servant is helping his brother.” [Sahîh Muslim (4867)]

This hadîth shows us that the greatest form of devotion, the best way to please Allah, is to provide service to humanity. Today our world is thirsting for peace. Though there are many programs and efforts being carried out, we are falling short. Yet the solution is clear - it lies in providing service to humanity.

Before the coming of Allah’s final Messenger, the people of Mecca lived in ignorance. Their society was harsh, far removed from the values of human dignity, fraternity, love, and affection. When those same people were brought under the guidance of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), their conduct alone was enough to communicate their newly realized social conscience. Islamic teachings, like those mentioned above, formed the basis of a new social reality for the Muslims.

We can see these values in the way all of the prophets conducted their lives. Through the example that Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and the other Messengers set, Allah guided the rest of humanity. Therefore, we should follow their righteous mode of conduct and live our lives accordingly. We need to study, especially, how the prophets maintained a state of peace in a prevailing atmosphere of gloom.

When Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) arrived in Madinah, he created bonds of brotherhood between the local inhabitants and the emigrants from Mecca. In this way, he encouraged them to render assistance to one another and live together in harmony. The Prophet, in his wisdom, brought two different peoples together into one combined society, who became the best generation humanity has ever witnessed. When the Jews of Madinah saw the conduct of this combined society of the emigrants and the local people, they were greatly impressed. Some of them embraced Islam after seeing the reality of the faith in practice.

Solving other peoples’ problems is a way to soften hearts and establish harmony. Sometimes a cruel man's hardness melts away when he sees some gentle soul, out of sheer kindness, help him out of his difficulties. There are abundant examples of this in our daily lives and in the life of the Prophet, but unfortunately many of us do not take heed. This is one of the reasons why there is so much sorrow in the world.

The value of helping others is a universal truth, because Allah does not ignore the person who makes sacrifices in the service of fulfilling people's needs. We as Muslims should try to cultivate the habit of giving service to humanity, seeking only Allah's pleasure and His reward in the Hereafter.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Sajda (Prostration) is a unique position or stance in the regular prayers, which a Muslim is supposed to offer at least five times a day. Although the basic purpose of obligatory prayers is not to provide an exercise for people yet it is being increasingly recognized that it has plenty of medical advantages for the human body.

Here it is worth mentioning that Holy Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) has mentioned in a hadith in Ibn Maja:' That prayer is a cure for many diseases'. The position of Sajda in which the forehead touches the ground is exclusively associated with the Muslim form of prayer. It is the climax of a Muslim's prayer and as mentioned in a Hadith a Muslim is nearest to Allah in this position.

The messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: "The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication' (in this state)" In a Hadith narrated by Anas bin Malik (R.A.) Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) advised Muslims to perform Rukuu (bowing) and Sajda(prostration) properly.

In another Hadith he sallallahu alaihi wa sallam advised to perform Sajda(Prostration) and Bowing calmly and to get up only when the body has come to ease. Hence the first positive effect upon a person who prostrates or does Sajda(Prostration) is that he comes nearest to Allah and hence in that condition he can supplicate.

Psychological advantage:

This is a great psychological advantage and it gives relief to the person concerned as life is full of worries and in this position he gets at least a transient refuge from the agonizing problems.

When a person goes to the position of Sajda (Prostration), his whole body is in active motion. This position can be considered as a mini dive as the musalli (one who offers prayer) goes to rest his forehead on the ground while his hands are placed at the sides. This brings most of the body muscles if not all in active motion and serves to give them some exercise. The hands are then specifically stretched out and thence the forearm as well as arm muscles are supposed to bear the weight in the Sajda (Prostration) position. It gives good exercise to the muscles of the upper limb. The Prophet (peace be upon him) in a hadith advised not to put the forearms flatly on the ground but to keep them elevated above ground and this is better for the forearm and arm muscles.

Sajda (Prostration) is a unique position as this is the only position in which brain (or head) becomes lower than the heart and hence for the first time the blood gushes towards the brain with full force whereas in all other positions (even when lying) brain is above the heart when it has to work against gravity to send blood to the brain. In the position of Sajda (Prostration) due to the increased blood supply the brain receive more nourishment and it has good effect upon memory, vision, hearing, concentration, psyche and all other cognitive abilities.

People who offer their prayers regularly have more will power and can cope with the difficulties of life in a much better manner.

They have less incidence of headaches, psychological problems and other defects of cognitive function. In the unique position of Sajda(Prostration) the neck muscles get best exercise. They have to bear the load when the forehead lies at the ground hence the neck muscles become stronger. One can note the tense pressure at the neck muscles in the position of Sajda(Prostration) specially the active motion of the neck and the facial muscles when the head is being lifted. (e.g. one inch above the ground) and it will be noticed that they are in a very active motion.

More strong cervical muscles mean the cervical vertebra will be better protected. Strength of cervical muscles is important as the head rests upon cervical vertebra supported by cervical musculature. In fact head performs rotator movements over the cervical vertebra. In any accident cervical neck examination is especially important to the physicians because of its extraordinary importance. It is uncommon that a person who offers his prayers regularly will get the usual neck myalgias or cervical spondylosis as the neck muscles particularly become very strong due to the 34 sajdas(Prostrations) offered daily in five prayers.

The unique position of Sajda (Prostration) also has positive effects upon the back muscles as while going into Sajda and getting up from it the back muscle contract actively and they become stronger. Probably it is because of this reason that a person who is regular in prayers will (rarely) get backache.

Finally it must be reminded that (even though) prayer is not meant to be an exercise, there are a lot of medical advantages associated with it.. Still the best blessing is the peace of mind, which a person derives by the accomplishment of his duty to Allah by fulfilling an obligation.

KNOWLEDGE: When a man dies no further reward is recorded for his actions, with three exceptions: Sadqa which continues to be supplied, or knowledge from which benefit continues to be reaped, or the prayers of a good son to his dead father. (Muslim).